"Did
you know...?"

Anti-Freeze

Did you know...
that anti-freeze works by changing
the temperature at which the water in your car radiator boils and
freezes? Car owners should be careful that anti-freeze does not leak
from their car. Anti-freeze is a neon-greenish color, and it smells
and tastes like sugar water. Animals are drawn to it, and they will
die if they eat even just a small amount because it is very poisonous.

Bacteria

Did you know...
that some bacteria are also pesticides? The bacteria Bacillus popilliae
causes milky spore disease. "Milky Spore" is a selective
insecticide. Selective because it kills only certain types of beetles.
These are Japanese beetles, Oriental beetles, Rose chafers and certain
May and June beetles.

Bacteriostat

Did you know...
that some common household items such as sponges and cutting boards
contain bacteriostats? Even some plastic toys for small children contain
bacteriostats. Bacteriostats are pesticides that make it hard for
bacteria to grow. They help to cut down on the spread of bacteria
that may be harmful from one object to another. Bacteriostats belong
to a class of pesticides called antimicrobial pesticides.

Chemical

Did you
know... that elements (like carbon,
oxygen, hydrogen, etc.) bond together to make a chemical? (one "unit"
is called a molecule). At present there are 110 named elements, but
there are thousands and thousands of chemicals.

Detergent

Did you
know... that detergents make water
"wetter?" A detergent is made up of large molecules with
one end that is attracted to "oily" substances and the other
end attracted to water. This structure breaks the "surface tension"
which can be thought of as the top layer of water or the skin. The
detergent molecules will surround the dirt and keep it suspended in
the water as it flows down the drain.

Disinfectant

Do you
know... which
room of your house is the most likely place to find lots of bacteria?
It's the kitchen. Why? Because of all the bacteria that can grow on
things like wet sponges, food drippings, drink spills, dish towels
and on cutting boards or surfaces. That's why many kitchen cleaners
contain disinfectants. Bacteria may also be spread from one food to
another. Bacteria from raw meats, for example, may be spread from
your hands, knives or cutting boards that come in contact with the
raw meats and are then used to prepare other foods. You can prevent
spreading bacteria by washing these items in hot soapy water after
each use.

Insecticide

Do you know...
the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines this word as "an agent
that destroys insects." It was included into the International
Scientific Vocabulary in 1865. So where did this word come from? The
use of the english word "insect" was recorded in 1601. It
comes from the Latin insectum, from neuter of insectus, past participle
of insecare to cut into. The other part of the word "cide"
comes from Middle French, from Latin -cida, from caedere to cut, kill.
Even words and their definitions have histories.

Factoid:There are over 2 thousand insecticide
products registered for outdoor residential use by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs. But
over 4 thousand insecticide products are registered for indoor
residential use.

Ladybugs

Did you
know... that ladybugs are considered
"beneficial insects"? They are called beneficial because
they eat other insects that destroy plants like aphids, mealybugs,
whiteflies and mites. Other"beneficial insects" include
spiders, centipedes dragon flies and ground beetles. You can even
buy these insects through some gardening catalogs!

Paint

Did you know...
you can make your own paint? You can use crushed chalk as the "pigment"
(the colored part) and glue as the "vehicle" (the liquid
part). Please make sure you use a non-toxic glue.

Pyrethrum

Did you
know... that certain types of flowers
contain a natural insecticide? Insecticides called pyrethrums are
made from the flower plant Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium. This plant
is also called daisy flowers. It was first discovered because of its
use by African tribal peoples to control insect pests. Man-made or
synthetic insecticides called pyrethroids control insects in a way
much like the natural pyrethrum insecticides do.

Synthetic

Did you know...
that chemicals that are not produced
by life or in a natural process like weathering, are called synthetic.
Synthetic usually means man-made. There are tens of thousands of man-made
chemicals. Over 1,000 new ones are created each year.

Toxic

Did you know...
that toxics can be natural or man-made?
If the substance is man-made, it's referred to as a toxicant but if
it's natural, it's called a toxin.